About
Riccardo Matlakas is best known for his versatile talents across various art forms, including performance, dance, painting, and sculpture.
He obtained a degree in Sculpture from the University of Fine Arts in Naples and an MA in Social Sculpture from Oxford Brookes University. Additionally, Riccardo studied at Goldsmiths, University of London, and the University of the Arts London (UAL).
Riccardo values the context in which he works as his primary source of inspiration, seeking common ground with each culture he engages with. He creates cathartic actions and performances that address contemporary political, environmental, and spiritual concerns, striving to uncover the essence of humanity beyond race and custom. The artist often collects relics from his performances, transforming them into objects of memory and contemplation. Riccardo has participated in numerous residencies and exhibitions worldwide, performing and showcasing his work at the Moscow Biennale of Young Artists (2010), Gwangju Biennale (2014), and Prague Quadrennial. His work is also part of the collections at the Museum of Modern Art in Odesa, Ukraine, and the Museum of Palestine in Cape Town.
Riccardo Matlakas is a multidisciplinary artist engaged in painting, street art, performance, sculpture, and installation. His performances often result from analyzing the culture and context in which he works. As both a visual artist and a dancer, Riccardo creates physically engaging works that explore human spiritual development and growth. Through his actions, happenings, paintings, and performances, he questions human behavior and identity. His artistic journey seeks to find a common point among all races and cultures, unifying us as one race and gender, deconstructing political identity, and bringing all humans back to their essence.
EDUCATION
2012/2014 MA in Social Sculpture and Contemporary Art at Oxford Brooks University, Uk.
2010: PGCE in art and Design at Goldsmiths University of London
2007: UAL (University of the Arts of London) Diploma in Facilitating Learning in Arts for the communities.
2006 Degree in Sculpture and Design at University of FineArt, Naples, Italy
LECTURES
Busan Museum of Art, Busan, South Korea, 2018.
ISI, Seni University, Jogja, Yogjakarta, Indonesia, 2018.
Kaywon University, Seoul, 2016.
Chonnam University’s Lecture, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea. *Theatre Akademie, Helsinky (FN) 2010.
NCCA and Pro-arte, St. Petersburg (RU), 2013.
GRANTED RESIDENCIES
01/11/2024 to 01/12/2024: Residency with Artist in residence Vietnam network and GrapeVine
01/02/2023 to 01/01/2025 (Intermittent): Art4Sea residency program, funded by European Union
01/10/2023 to 10/11/2023: Residency at Archidiocesis in Gwangju, South Korea, creation of a permanent sculpture.
01/05/2023 to 01/08/2023: Mothership Nyc, Greenpoint Brooklyn
17/08/2019 to 30/10/2019: Lighthouse in the Woods Museum, Wanju, South Korea.
02/2019 to 04/2019: Odessa Museum of Art, in Ukraine, sponsored by British Council, England.
12/2018: Gapa-Do residency, Research period, Gapa Island, South Korea. Funded by Korean Arts Council & Non-Gothic Body.
10/2018: Darat Al Funun, Amman, Jordan. “Truth is black, write over it with a mirage’s light. Residency research and Final Exhibition.
09-10/2018: British Council/Liverpool Biennale, Swap Residency, Municipal Gallery and Yermilov Centre in Kharkiv.
PERFORMANCE SHOWS
05/2024: INACT Festival, Strasbourg France, Human Typer performance
07/2023: Denver Understudy performance event curated by Quinn Duke
05/2023: The opening gallery, Tribeca, New York, USA.
09/2021: Pompei Art Fest, Pompei Italy
09/2021: SerformanceP. 5th Exhibition of Performances in San Paulo, BR
07/2021: Linfa Art Festival, Monticello Amiata, Tuscany, IT.
07/2021: Borgo Universo 2021, Aielli, Abruzzo, Italy
09/2020: Territori Performance festival, Ibiza, Spain
06/2019: Tramshed Theatre, London, performance streamed live (Covid-19)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
November 2024: “Orizzonti” Complex 01-Hanoi Vietnam
May/june/july 2022: Estudi Our Costa - 0 Nation, Ibiza, Spain
04/2022: Depoo Gallery - Melting Borders, Sofia, Bulgaria
17/08/2019 to 30/10/2019: Lighthouse in the Woods Museum, Soyang, Wanju, South Korea.
22/01/2018: Solo Exhibition of Murals made on the Entire Floor of Sunflower Hostel In Berlin.
18/06/2016 to 18/07/2016: Castel Dell’ Ovo “East and West Crossroads”, Naples, Italy.
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS
12/2024: Hanoi University of Fine Arts - Hanoi Art Connecting
11/2024: Hanoi Museum of Art, Hanoi art connecting - Hanoi Art Connecting
09/2024: Van Der Plas Gallery, Seasons, New York
09/06/2024: Blossoms of Unity, 50 Iranian artist and 1 Italian artist, Gunnersbury Museum, London, Uk
10/06/2023 13/06/2023: Greenpoint Open studios, Brooklyn Greenpoint, New York, USA.
01/07/2023 to 30/07/2023: Understudy Gallery, Denver, CO, USA
01/06/2023 to 30/06/2023: Thomson Gallery, New York, USA
01/06/2023 to 30.06/2023: Should Gallery, Miami, USA
10/2022: Miami New Media Festival at ArtToSaveLives Contemporary- Civilty Vs Violence, Miami, Fl
10/2022: Seformancep- 6th International exhibition of Performance art in San Paulo Brazil
09/2021: Pompei Street art Fest, Pompei, IT
07/2021: Linfa Art Festival, Monticello Amiata, Tuscany, IT.
07/2021: Borgo Universo 2021, Aielli, Abruzzo, Italy
10/2020: Interactive Installation for Gangwon Kids Triennale, South Korea
06/2020: “60 Days of Lockdown”, A4 Museum, Chengdu, China.
09/2019 to 11/2019: PAN, Palazzo delle Arti, Naples, Italy.
08/2019: Borgo Universo, Aielli, Abruzzo, Italy.
02/2019 to 04/2019: Odessa Museum of Art, Fragile States, in Ukraine, sponsored by British Council, England.
10/2018 to 31/01/2019: Darat Al Funun, Amman, Jordan. “Truth is black, write over it with a mirage’s light.
04/2018: Sofia Underground 2018 what now / now what. Exhibition of video documentation of Performance Art.
08/2017; Art Expo, Pan (Palazzo delle Arti Napoli, Italy. Curated by Daniela Wollman.
06/2017: Clerkenwell Design Week, London. Mosaic Installation in occasion of the design event.
12/2016: Exhibition “The Change”, collective exhibition at PAN (Palazzo delle arti Napoli), curated by Palomart, Naples, Italy.
PUBLICATIONS
“Vite In Quarantena” (Quarantined Lives), book written by Riccardo Matlakas published by Edizioni Kimerik, soon in English), 2021.
Emergency Index 2018, New York, USA
Performance Almanac 2017, New York, USA
Emergency Index 2017, New York, USA
Art Reveal Magazine 2017, New York, USA
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Institute for Contemporary art, Yerevan
Museum of Modern Art Odessa, Ukraine
Museum of Palestine in Cape Town, South Africa
Museum of Yamnimdong, South Korea
